I'm More Dateable than a Plate of Refried Beans: And Other Romantic Observations

by Ginny Hogan

From comedian Ginny Hogan, this laugh-out-loud collection of humor observations explores all the ups and downs of modern romance.

Through hilarious, absurd-yet-relatable short stories, quizzes, over-think pieces, and more, Hogan details every stage of a modern relationship—from meeting on an app to becoming official, to breaking up or getting married, to being single.

Find out how to successfully ignore any and all red flags. Take a quiz to see if that anxiety attack you're having means you're in a new relationship or if it's that cold brew you just chugged. Read chilling tales about the unfortunate few who actually did lose their phones (they didn't mean to ghost you, they promise).

Begging to be shared with friends or sat next to your phone full of Tinder notifications, I'm More Dateable than a Plate Of Refried Beans is the ultimate humor book for anyone who is dating or has ever dated.

LAUGH-OUT-LOUD HUMOR FOR ALL: This hilarious book has a little something for everybody, whether you're single, dating, married, monogamous, polyamorous—you name it!

UNIQUE CONTENT: Full of absurd yet relatable stories, quirky lists, quizzes and more, this is a nice repose to other modern dating books, whose pages try to offer sincere advice. Modern dating is weird and sometimes you just need to commiserate and laugh!

GREAT GIFT: This book begs to be shared, a fun gift for your single friends, friends who are dating, and even your friends who are married!

Perfect for:

• Anyone who has dated or is dating
• Galentine's day, birthday, and holiday shoppers
• Parents looking for gifts for their tech-savvy Millennial and Gen Z kids
• Fans of How to Date Men when You Hate Men by Blythe Roberson, Notes from the Bathroom Line by Amy Solomon, and No One Asked for This by Cazzie David

Genres: Nonfiction, Humor, Essays, Comedy, Short Stories, Memoir, Romance

240 pages, Hardcover

First published May 3, 2022

About the author

Ginny Hogan is an NYC-based stand up comedian/humor writer. Her DMs are open on literally every platform, and she always welcomes hellos!

Reviews

[Katie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was very close to DNFing this book, but pushed through since it was so short and for bookclub. When this book was selected I think most of thought there would be some fun reflections on the world of dating in the digital era alongside a few Cosmo style quizzes. Instead there were several repetitive lists, and unrealistic, pretend stories that tended to lean more into the WTF space than the comedic space they were intended to be in. I would give this 1.5 star only because I did feel the final section on choosing to be single and the authors sincere reflections on her experiences dating were the only parts that felt authentic and somewhat relatable.

[Jennifer MacMaster · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a decent read. There were a few sections that I almost had soda spewing from my nose like this line, “Sex positions that are particularly weird to hang out in once you’re done… 69: okay, you wanted it in your mouth but did you want it in your face.” Overall, most of the book was ok. It compiled a lot of short stories, quizzes, etc. You could skip around if you so choose. There’s a lot of talk about dating apps and while some sounded familiar as in I’ve heard of them, many I wasn’t familiar with as I’ve been married for many years. I was hoping for more humor but I felt like everything was a personal joke and I didn’t get the punch line.

[Niki Thurman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disclaimer, I listened to this book and I do not recommend listening to it. I saw the hardcover and it looked a lot more interactive and engaging. The reader - who is also the author- read the book like she was reading line by line, a deadpan delivery and although sometimes it worked…most of the time it didn’t. I also understand that the book is satirical but at times I really couldn’t relate and would get lost in the repetitive droning of the lists and quizzes. It’s written from the perspective of a mid-twenty something reflecting on her early twenties. At times it was relatable and funny because I too was once twenty two, but now that I’m in my thirties I’m experiencing a different level of dating hell.

I probs would rate this higher if I would have read it.

[Cecily Girton · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'll start with this -- it was funny. There were definitely moments that had me laughing out loud, or giggling beneath my breath. I met my boyfriend of 3 years on a dating app. So a lot of this was painfully relatable.

But it was SO repetitive. The collection of goofy short stories, BuzzFeed style quizzes, and how-to's got very stale very quickly. I ended up skipping around sections just to keep it interesting.

[Ely · Rating 2 out of 5]

(ARC from NetGalley except I read well after the pub date, whoops) Cute cover, started off fun and quirky but it got really repetitive. It started to feel like I was reading a Buzzfeed listicle so DNF 43% in.

[Paul Cioffi · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun read! Instead of googling every dating question known to humankind, Ginny has expertly offered a witty enjoyable trip on the nuances of dating. Ginny aptly states that "dating is something you should really only do for yourself." With this truth she recreates today's dating world through clever anecdotes, current lingo, and fun self-humorous quizzes. I really enjoyed reading this. It's also a equally fun book to discuss with others. Maybe even on a first or second date! I hope you enjoy Ginny's priceless dating observations as much as I did!

[Debora · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t know Ginny Hogan wrote books. I didn’t even know she did standup comedy. I just knew her from those hilarious (and absolutely always relatable) tweets she screenshots for instagram (look, I’m a very specific version of Millennial that’s not on twitter, but always on Insta. Or on a dating app.)

In this book, Ginny had captured the essence of those hilarious tweets and made it into a book. It’s very pretty to look at and I mainly wanted it to display it on my coffee table (not that I have one yet, but a girl can dream) to casually browse through and show off. But then I actually read it cover to cover because it was so, so, so painfully spot on about the dating experience of people like me (hint: I’m 33 and live in NYC. It’s a disaster zone).

Each chapter goes through the various stages of grief uhm sorry I meant online dating - from setting up your dating profile to early dating and the dangers of social media, to breakups to deciding to stay single forever (and being judged by all your friends who are getting married).

I loved the various formats she chose, and chuckled every time I recognised a joke from twitter-Insta, and generally was absolutely entertained while reading this book. The kinda “giggle constantly and occasionally snort out loudly, much to the surprise of the older gentlemen sitting next to you on the subway/ in the park/ in a cafe)” way of entertained. Maybe don’t read this book in public if you don’t want to get those looks.

Things I learned: there’s a soul mate waiting out there for me (but I’ve probably swiped left on him because he’s too short), what to say to my spouse should I accidentally find myself dating a prince, that i definitely need my own Roomba, and most importantly: that I shouldn’t settle because if my stories about failed dating are only half as funny as Ginny’s, I’d have reached peak hilarity.

[Timothy W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ginny's timely book is a hilarious update and education on the modern state of dating. Citing her vast personal experience and her knowledge of the human condition as we know it, Ginny dives deep into background, slang, examples of catchphrases, red flags and how to's.

This is a necessary and upbeat manual for the modern dater. Make sure to own a copy and read it. You will laugh a great deal, so read it twice.

[Christine · Rating 2 out of 5]

The quality of the content is all over the place. The chapters that were already published in other publications were much more polished than the rest of the book.

I really liked the author’s premise for the book and wish she had taken it further.

To me, much of the book just wasn’t tight/polished enough to be publication ready. The author has an interesting, well-developed voice. As a result, it pains me to say that I didn’t like the book overall. It felt to me like the author needed to keep adding new chapters until she hit her required word count for publication.

I did try taking breaks between sessions of reading the book, in hopes that I would enjoy it more. There were parts of the book where I did laugh and share some tidbits with my partner. But after I got about halfway though the book, I kept checking the progress bar to see how close I was to the end. Usually, with a book like that, I’d just stop reading it.

I liked the writing but didn’t like the content, because I was bored.

I checked out the ebook from my local public library.
For interested readers: check out the format of your choice from the library and skip chapters if they bore you.

[Joseph Bowers · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF This book is stated as being a book of Romantic Observations. Mostly it seemed to be about how toget laid, how to make sure you are up on your hygiene so you can get laid, how to judge the man you are with concerning his attractiveness. One chapter begins by asking if you should have sex for the third time during your third date. Apparently it's OK if you had sex twice during your second date but not if you had sex once during your first date and once during your second. Now granted, I am of an older generation but I didn't even kiss on my first date. Not surprised this woman has a problem forming relationships. As for the title, I feel like saying, "No you're not."

[Matheus Alencar · Rating 5 out of 5]

A series of short but relentlessly funny dating-related articles and short stories, I'm More Dateable than a Plate of Refried Beans gets a little too relatable at points and, I feel, calls me out personally for being 5'7" and not lending anyone my Roomba. Still, the author does a very good job of dissecting the pitfalls and hypocrisies of modern dating (read:online dating), both in a way that only someone too experienced in it is able to, as well as in a way that is perfectly understandable by anyone who may not have gone down that path. If you've ever online dated, offline dated, thought about dating, seen romantic movies, or if you're a fruit fly, I think you'll enjoy this book.

[Jamie Speheger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was not what I expected… in the best way. I laughed my ass off with Ginny’s clever satirical humor on the modern dating scene. This book was simply fun, hilarious, and refreshing.

[Judith · Rating 5 out of 5]

She self edited her various articles, routines, and podcasts

[Professor Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very funny book from a very funny comic. I admit that I found this book as a fan of her comedy, rather than the other way around. But it does live up to her standards of exceptional topical snark. If the cover interests you, the book will fully live up to it. Ginny is exactly the mix of insightful and hilarious that so many would-be influencers and vloggers aspire to, while remaining genuine and likeable. This book is a perfect case study in that.

[Lara Carretero · Rating 3 out of 5]

So far, funny enough… though sometimes I struggle a bit to relate. The perks of being a polyam slut, I guess.

[Mama K · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very light-hearted and fast read. I got through it in about 2.5 hours over Spring Break. This is in an odd format--many "chapters " are just lists. This reads more like a transcript of one of Hogan's stand-up routines. Parts of it are side-achingly funny;other parts are just inane.
But I'm an old woman married nearly 4 decades, so maybe 40 years ago it ALL would've been funny to me.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Eric S · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm More Dateable than a Plate of Refried Beans is a smart, funny, and insightfully entertaining ride through relationships and dating in the always-on, always online world we find ourselves in today. I was fortunate enough to be granted access to a copy to read in exchange for an honest review, and it couldn't have been any easier to provide one that is both honest and glowing.
This collection of essays, musings, and short stories deconstruct and examine pretty much every aspect of modern dating and the quest for, if not the right one, at least one for right now. From how to 'better' handle red flags to proposals for entirely new dating apps and more, Ginny provides a consistently highly entertaining, very funny and original outlook.

[Tali Cargill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found Ginny Hogan’s new book, “I’m More Dateable Than a Plate of Refried Beans,” much to the chagrin of the people who choose to be in close proximity to me, unbearably funny. I suppose my frequent snorts and bursts of laughter were annoying and I probably only made things worse by sighing, “Oh, nothing,” every time someone asked me what was so funny.

The ups and downs of contemporary dating (and Modern Love) are handled with the honesty and humor you’d expect from Hogan and she extols hidden tidbits of wisdom on every page, give or take. If you buy this book, you’ll be getting your money’s worth.

[Rockford Halleron · Rating 5 out of 5]

The timing of getting my copy was amazing as I've just started online dating again after a slight break (Clinton was president last time I dated).
This FUNNY! AS in I scared my cat out of my lap I was laughing so hard (more than once). If you love funny, have issues about dating, love pina coladas (wait that's a song never mind) You should read this book!

[Stroop · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious and delightful. “I’m More Dateable than a Plate of Refried Beans” is full of fun, sarcastic, and silly stories, quizzes, and texts about dating, breaking up, and being in a relationship. It feels like you’re reading letters from a friend.

I recommend this to anyone looking for a quick, enjoyable read about modern love (and to anyone who rolls their eyes while they read NYT’s Modern Love column but is also genuinely moved). The book is also beautiful, with lovely illustrations and typefaces sprinkled throughout. Enjoy!

Thank you to Chronicle Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

[Christine LaBatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much. There are so many different formats within it (little stories, quizzes, text chains, etc.), and I loved them all. It made the book easy to read, and it was infused with humor. I also love a lot of the points the author makes in the book about relationships, being single, and more. I would highly recommend this book!

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Sam Sette · Rating 3 out of 5]

I want some of whatever juice Ginny was drinking while she wrote this.

But seriously, my favorite part of this book was how it didn’t take the whole idea of dating and relationships seriously. I guess that’s the point, plus comic relief.

[Michael Lynch · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a hoot and a half! I like to support other authors, because I know how hard it is to sell books. So when Ginny (we're on a first name basis since we follow each other on Twitter) tweeted asking who had a library account. I replied that I did, and she DM'd right back (another reason for the first name basis) and asked me to request for my local library. It was the least I could do, so I did it . A couple more clicks, and I had requested one for my own library.
When I find a book I like, I usually burrow into my chair, skip work, blow off the gym, and read it obsessively until I'm done. Not so with this one. I read this the way I read Ginny's Twitter feed...in snippets. Every morning I woke up and read a few pages (the structure of the book makes this easy) for some laughs, then checked her lastest tweets. If you follow Ginny and like the snippets of her stand up routine, you'll love this book! If you don't follow Ginny, you should (@GinnyHogan). I saw her stand up snippets first, so when I read the book I heard her voice in my head.
If you like Seinfeld and are binge-watching it for the 14,836th time, you love this book (If you don't like Seinfeld, unfollow me now). She has great, Seinfeldian style humor, and her sardonic approach to dating is reminiscent, but she is not trying to be a female Seinfeld. Ginny has her own voice, and it's a funny one!
Sometimes in reading a good book, I forget all about language and become engrossed in the story. That's a goal of good writing: if the reader moves effortlessly through the prose, the writer has done well. When I become conscious of the structure, however, that means there is something exceptional about it...and it's usually exceptionally bad. Sometimes, though, it's because it's exceptionally good. There's some witty, throw-away one liner, a clever play on words, a satirical note (or even a side-eyed parenthetical)....and Ginny has all these. Her gift for satire and clever use of language reminds me of Douglas Adams. If you know, you know.
What else can I say about this book without giving away any spoilers? It made me want to read her others.

[Emma Kantor · Rating 5 out of 5]

A friend of mine once gave me a self-help book titled "Sexual Anorexia: Overcoming Sexual Self-Hatred." I hid it in a drawer and never read a single page. Ginny Hogan gave me an advanced copy of her forthcoming humor book titled "I'm More Dateable Than a Plate of Refried Beans: And Other Romantic Observations." I rejoiced. I definitely did not hide it in shame. In fact, if it weren't an ebook, I would've proudly shoved it in strangers' faces and said, "Look at this delightful book I'm reading!" I guess that's what I'm doing here.

If, like me, you're already a fan of Hogan's short-form humor writing and tweets, you will revel in the chance to spend more time in her witty presence. And if not, you will be a fan by the time you read the book. In a range of formats—listicles, texts, "overthink pieces," sketches, and more—she skewers contemporary courtship in all its absurdity. Some of my favorite bits: how-tos for ignoring red flags on dating apps; a primer for explaining to your friends that you met your partner IRL (shudders); the time traveler who attempts to explain ghosting to Lizzie Bennet from "Pride and Prejudice"; and the Modern Love essay about the writer's endless pursuit of publishing a Modern Love essay.

In the Conclusion, Hogan claims she has "no grand insights. I don't even have small insights" on dating, only jokes—but I found plenty of both in her pages. My new standard: dating should be at least as fun as reading this book. I am probably setting the bar too high....

I can't wait to give this to my best friends, regardless of their relationship status. I think it's a gift they'll genuinely enjoy and wouldn't dream of hiding in a drawer.

[Beetlebug · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐ — Light, punchy, and very hit-or-miss—fun in small bites, grating in large ones.

I’m More Dateable than a Plate of Refried Beans is exactly what it promises: a grab-bag of jokes, lists, quizzes, and chaotic-energy observations about modern dating. Ginny Hogan is genuinely funny when she leans into absurdity—the “is this love or caffeine-induced cardiac distress?” jokes land, and her ability to skewer app culture feels painfully accurate. In short bursts, the book is sharp, self-aware, and easy to flip through.

But it’s also uneven. The format means there’s no real momentum, and the humor occasionally feels like Twitter drafts arranged between hardcovers. Some essays hit; some feel like filler. As a gift book or bathroom read, it works perfectly—quick, relatable, and just cynical enough to sting. As a full sit-down read, it risks wearing out its own bit.

If you want a breezy, snarky palate cleanser that winks at the misery of modern dating, this is exactly the kind of silliness that goes down easy—as long as you don’t expect depth beyond the punchline.

[Darren Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hogan fills her book with her quirky and original humorous take on modern dating, including dating apps because "[y]our chosen dating app may well be the longest relationship of your adult life".

From her not-so-scientific experiment of testing personal photos against a photo of refried beans on Tinder (the origin of the title), a snarky quiz on which dating app is right for you, a fictional piece on God herself creating a dating app based on Google search history (it does not go well), and a guide to how to ignore red flag statements while dating, Hogan is very funny, creative, and clearly shows she spends way too much time online.

Its structure is essentially a set of essays / quizes / infographics, making it easy to consume in short bursts whenever you need a good laugh.

Whether you're active on dating apps, have given up on dating, have successfully partnered up, just enjoy sexual innuendo, or just work in tech (she casually slips in self-driving cars and the word "petabyte"), I recommend this quirky read for a good laugh.

[Pouliewaeg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure, I've never met anyone I fell in love with on a dating app. I'm also generally aromantic and against the heteronormative mating rituals for political reasons. I enjoyed this book immensely as an anthropological study of the Other Side. As much as we talk about the effects of living on a dying planet and the ennui of civilization, the interpersonal effects of this environment might be best observed in the scarcity economics that regulate the modern practice of coupling up. Lines like "Once, I voluntarily went on a second date at a comic book museum," I am sure are universally relatable. One does wonder the long term Darwinian gamble that is involved in attempting to find a long term equitable arrangement for sharing household labor. Somehow, "our earliest ancestors showed up on this planet without the ability to walk upright, form sentences, or use Incognito mode to stalk their exes, and yet they figured out how to keep the population going."

Anyway, I'm glad I'm not straight. If you are straight and kind of regretting it, this book might be good to read.

[Sam Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sending all of my love to Chronicle Books and Ginny Hogan for sending me this beautiful Hardcover copy of I'm More Dateable than a Plate of Refried Beans: And Other Romantic Observations. Comedic talent and realist, Ginny Hogan takes us on wild wide about what it means to date/be single in the digital age of now with dating apps and genital pics and ghosting, oh my!

Told through various interactive quizzes, lists, "Overthink Pieces", How Tos, and perhaps even some true/false stories, you'll find yourself laughing until you cry at these brutally honest regurgitations. I'm not even gonna lie I did heat up these Refried Beans as I finished this book and it added to the ambiance.

I 100% recommend this book to EVERYONE! Even if you're in a relationship, there are some good tid-bits and one-liners in this text that I think we can ALL appreciate! Do yourself a favor and just put this one in your cart for when it comes out on Tuesday, May 3rd!

[Lizz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thank Edelweiss for sending me a copy of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.
I don't have enough words to express how this book made me feel. I was really scared because of the non-superpositive reviews, but I took my chance to read it and I'm really happy that I did. This book is basically a 'date guide' satire. For me, it was like reading a magazine full of jokes, poking fun at single people (just like me, lol).
I had so much fun while I was reading, but I have to admit that sometimes the amount of jokes was overwhelming. I loved the Barbie monologue; at this point in my reading, I was like 'c'mon, someone must give this woman a microphone, she'd be stunning doing stand-up comedy!' When I read about the author, everything made sense. I really enjoyed my time reading this book. :)

[Robert Mackey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you learn for freedom from romantic stress? Liberty from choice & consequence -- the kind of blissful indifference one only achieves through utter disconnect from reality? Then I have good news, existential seeker: this book is your opportunity to confront absurdity in real-world terms! No longer will you force yourself to break down social interactions with purely philosophical constructs to shape your feeble mortal thoughts! Now, with the benefit of scientific research, you have access to literally millions (reviewer estimation - ed.) of tales from the front lines of human passion. The time is nigh for you to emerge from your chrysalis. This book is your catalyst.